A Promise Made

A Promise Made is a 2003 inspirational romance by Janet Lee Barton, published by Heartsong Presents as a 170-page paperback.

The story begins with a death and a promise. Emma's young friend dies leaving a baby daughter in her care, which divides the small town of Roswell: the men doubt that a woman running a restaurant can manage, and the women organise practical help. The novel's interest is in how the community's opinion becomes an active threat rather than merely an unpleasant atmosphere.

The threat materialises as a councilman, Douglas Harper, who schemes to take the child away, and that is what pushes Emma to advertise for a husband. The copy frames the outcome as a matter of trust, asking whether she can rely on God to send the right man, and the presence of the town's deputy, Matthew Johnson, is where the answer is located. At 170 pages the book is at the shorter end of the romance market, which is the length Heartsong used. The child is named Mandy and the restaurant is Emma's livelihood, so losing the custody case would cost her both the person she promised to raise and the work that supports them.